Through the Heat Haze
by mikuhatsunefeliciana
Summary: What would happen if you were pulled into a manga to become the love interest of a homicidal maniac? This is a super random fanfic that I thought up a while back, so I thought "Why not put it here?". I hope you enjoy
1. Chapter 1

**Nothing in this fanfiction follows the canon storyline(s). All plot is created by myself and in no way relates to the series as a whole. I do not own Kagerou Project/Mekakucity Actors/Kagerou Daze, nor do I own the characters. This is just for pure fun and fanservice (haha, but this is rated T, so it's not THAT much fanservice).**

 **This story is partially making fun of the attraction that someone has for the character, and also somewhat over exaggerating it, but I can't say too much about it, since it was originally based on me haha. Now, the characters have pretty generalized and, well... You'll understand after this chapter!**

 **Anyway, please enjoy reading this!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

I lifted the book from the shelf, biting my lip in excitement. This was the next volume of the manga I had been reading for quite some time now. The way things seemed, I thought for sure that this volume would end it all, but I kind of hoped that there would be more.

I take the book to the cashier, paying for it quickly before looking for a good place to read. A quiet corner of the bustling bookstore immediately catches my attention and I take quick strides to reach it. The chair is comfy as I sink into it, almost pulling my legs up before realising that I was in public.

I smiled as I opened the cover, immediately being pulled into the story. I sat for a short time, focused on the book, before sighing with a smile. My favorite character had finally appeared. No one quite understands my obsession with the guy, and I suppose I can't even explain it myself; there's just something about Kuroha from "Kagerou Daze" that struck me as attractive. I couldn't say that it was his violent tendencies, nor the fact that his sole purpose in life is to kill, but there was definitely _something_ that kept me from running to the hills…

"Oh yeah," I thought as I looked down at a picture of him where he was grinning ear to ear in his psychotic fashion. "I guess it actually _is_ the craziness…" I sigh, shaking my head. This was really a problem; almost more so than my infatuation with Kizami Yuuya from Corpse Party.

Several kids pass by, playing and making noise as children will do. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered by this, but I was trying to read at the moment and their squeals were not particularly welcome.

I close the book, pushing it into the bag as I stood to leave. It had begun to feel stuffy in here anyway and I knew I would be more comfortable at home. I made my way out of the store, searching for my car before giving up and pressing the panic button. After loading my things into the car, I cranked the ignition. The drive home was uneventful and filled with thoughts of the unfinished manga sitting in the passenger's seat beside me. I had to use every ounce of self control that I had to keep from reading it as I drove.

I pulled into the front yard, putting the vehicle in park and walking briskly up to the front door. I curse under my breath as I fumble with my keys, dropping them several times as I balance my bags. Finally opening the door, I take a deep breath as my cozy, cluttered living room welcomed me home. After setting everything down in my bedroom, I flopped onto the bed, kicking my shoes off as I picked up where I left off.

I thumb the page, hesitant to turn his smirking face over. It was hard to explain the feeling I had. I almost felt like I wanted, no, _needed_ , to meet Kuroha. Like there was nothing else more important in the world than to talk to him. It was silly, honestly; there was no way for me to do so, and thinking about it any longer would surely drive me mad.

I pause, glancing quickly at the page. I'm confused for a moment; did something move? I shake my head; maybe I was _already_ insane.

I turn the page, reading the next section until I hear a low, muffled chuckle. I sit up, looking around. "Hello! Who's there!?" There was no response until a short laugh sounded below me. I flip the page back quickly, falling back with a gasp as Kuroha's smirk grew wider.

I rub my eyes quickly, then look back to the page, leaning in closer and squinting my eyes. _This must be a dream._ I thought. How else could I have explained something like this?

The book began to feel heavy in my hands. The warmth that had been there just a moment ago was replaced with biting cold. It seemed to melt in my hands, although the pages remained clear. As I try to set it down, black ooze trails up my arms, quickly wrapping itself around the entirety of my body. I let out a scream, though I'm sure no one hears me; I live alone and my neighbors were at least a house's distance away.

A black substance clouds my vision as I'm pulled away; to where, I'm not sure. The ooze thrashes around, and I feel as though it will tear me apart.

The black muck settles quite suddenly and I can hear my heart beating out of my chest. In the next second, I fall a short ways, collapsing onto the ground in a tired heap. My breathing is quick and ragged. Everything is blurry and fading quickly; I can see nothing but a dark alley before giving in to the incessant call of the darkness consuming my vision.

* * *

 **Fun fact: I actually** ** _am_** **obsessed with both Kizami and Kuroha. Am I a masochist? Nah, not really. If you make me bleed I'll kick you in the nethers (which would hurt for both genders, by the way). Am I insane? Hell yes.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hooray! Another chapter of this story is out! !**

 **Nothing in this fanfiction follows the canon storyline(s). All plot is created by myself and in no way relates to the series as a whole. I do not own Kagerou Project/Mekakucity Actors/Kagerou Daze, nor do I own the characters. This is just for pure fun and fanservice (haha, but this is rated T, so it's not THAT much fanservice).**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Upon opening my eyes, I find that it's nighttime. The moon is full, casting a white light across the alley, and I rub my eyes, leaning against the wall. Footsteps echo from somewhere near, but I feel so exhausted that I can't bring myself to look. _What exactly happened just now? That nightmare… but how did I end up here? Don't tell me I fell asleep here!_

A pair of feet comes into my field of vision and I look up just as the man grabs me by the throat. His face is ragged, unshaven, and his clothes were dirty and torn. He must have been homeless, but what was he doing? I reach up to the hands around my neck, feebly trying to pull them away. The man laughs, letting one hand fall to pull a knife out and hold it to my neck.

He opens his mouth to speak, but a loud shout comes from beside us as another person barrels into the man. A young man, possibly twenty, stands in front of me, breathing heavily with a look of hatred on his face. He turns to me, grabbing my hand quickly and pulling me along, down the alley. The quick steps of our pursuer made my heart jump in my chest. Surely we could outrun him; if not, there was bound to be _someone_ walking around here tonight. We turned the corner, my savior pulling me immediately into a small space, perfect for hiding. We held our breath as the man ran past. The boy eased out, looking both ways before pulling me out with him.

We both let out a sigh at the same moment, then looked to each other and smiled wearily. At least that much was over. "Ne," he started. I blinked, utterly confused as I listened to the boy speak in a foreign language; it sounded quite a bit like Japanese. Had I actually been taken all the way around the world and just left for dead on the street?

I raised my hands and he slowed his speech to a stop. "Um, I, I don't really **understand** you…" In response, the boy blinked slowly, his jaw loosening. It seemed that an English-speaker was the last thing he had expected.

He said a few more words in Japanese before trailing off at the sight of my still-confused face. "Daijoubu?" My eyes lightened a bit, and I nodded. I knew a couple of phrases, this one included.

He smiled. "Ah, ah, Engrish?" I nodded and he frowned. From what I could gather, he knew very little English, and was disappointed that he couldn't communicate with me. He waved his hand forward with a smile, as though inviting me to follow him. "Ho-te-ru?" I shook my head. I wasn't sure how to explain to him that I had just ended up here suddenly. He smiled though, nodding. "My home!"

My eyes widen, slowly filling with tears. The thought that a stranger would actually give me a place to stay for the night warmed my heart. He turned around to face me, walking backwards along the sidewalk. "America?" I nodded, and he let out a quiet chuckle. " _Too_ -ris, _too_ -ris, ha ha." He smiled. "Tu- _ra_ -bul!" I grinned. I guess tourists _could_ be a lot of trouble for them, especially ones wandering around at night without basic knowledge of the Japanese language.

"Um, what's today's date? The day?"

He frowned, thinking it over before hesitantly speaking. "Ah, kyo wa hachi-gatsu desu. Kyo wa jugo-nichi desu."

I shook my head, completely unfamiliar with Japanese dates. "Oh well… arigato…"

He grinned, still facing me as he walked backwards, musing something in Japanese. I began to smile until a dark figure caught my eye, a familiar silver glint held tight in his hand. I gasped. "S-stop!" The boy tilted his head, not knowing what I said, and continued walking.

The man grinned, grabbing hold of him and sinking the blade deep into his side. The boy let out a cry, dropping quickly. In anger, more for my own incompetence than for the man, I threw myself forward, grabbing at the knife in his hand. He threw me down, saying several harsh things in Japanese. I pulled myself up, aiming to barrel into his stomach, when I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I looked down in surprise as the blade was pulled back out. Crimson spread around the wound as I fell to my knees, then onto my side next to the boy. After searching, the man realized I had nothing on me, but quickly removed a wallet from the boy's pocket and ran off.

The boy let out soft whimpers of pain, and tears began flowing down my cheeks. "I'm… I'm so sorry…" A sob racked my body, sending a shooting pain from my chest. "I… S-sumimasen, sumimasen!" I cried out, but the boy merely smile, reaching blindly for my hand.

As he found it, he squeezed firmly, smiling at me. "It okay. Okay?" I nodded. If that was as close to forgiveness as he could give, then I would not waste it.

I cried, tears flooding my sight. "Okay." I whispered, and the boy let out a small laugh. With our hands held together, right between our faces, we cried and laughed, not wanting to make our last moment a particularly sad one.

Everything was getting fuzzy. I couldn't see much but I could still make out his hazy silhouette. His breathing was becoming heavy, and I'm sure I wasn't much better. "Wakari masen… ah, eto… Un-da-stand." He whispered. I blinked, trying to see his face. "Wakari. Un-da-stand."

"W-Wakari?" I wheezed.

He laughed softly. "Hai. Wakari masu ka? You un-da-stand?"

"W-wakari masu…ka?"

"Hai. Wakari masu... I un-da-stand. Wakari masen... no un-da-stand."

"Wakari… wakari.." I mumbled the word beneath my breath. "Wakari…" His hand was growing limp in my own, and my vision was fading quickly.

As the last traces of life flew from my mind, I heard a voice softly whisper " **wakari** ".

* * *

 **Please note, I don't speak Japanese, so any phrases that I got wrong, I'm very sorry! Please let me know how to fix them in the comments. It would really make me happy if you'd leave a comment telling me what you thought of this! Any criticism is welcome!**

 **A fun side note: when the boy was speaking to the main character, I had him speak some English, but I wrote it as though you were reading his accent. To help with understanding that, here's what he said, in the order that he said it:**

 **"English?"**

 **"Hotel?"**

 **"Tourist, tourist, haha."**

 **"Trouble!"**

 **"Understand" - used multiple times near the end**


	3. Chapter 3

Edit: Sorry for those of you who already read this chapter! I made a little mistake with who all stayed behind (I won't say too much more, in case it spoils it for others). I have since then fixed the problem ~

Nothing in this fanfiction follows the canon storyline(s). All plot is created by myself and in no way relates to the series as a whole. I do not own Kagerou Project/Mekakucity Actors/Kagerou Daze, nor do I own the characters. This is just for pure fun and fanservice (haha, but this is rated T, so it's not THAT much fanservice).

 **This chapter is considerably longer than the other two, haha :)**

* * *

I open my eyes slowly, squinting at the lamplight above me. A slight nudge at my side begs for attention, though I close my eyes back and try to ignore it. As I stare at the dark behind my eyelids, a vision of what took place seconds ago returns, startling me upright. As I sit up, gasping, the person beside me lets out a startled sound, falling backwards. I look to my left, seeing a girl with green hair and a purple iPod hoodie. "Who…?" My head hurt profusely and I couldn't think straight. Something had just happened, after that nightmare of being killed with that boy, but I couldn't remember; at least, I _think_ that I'm forgetting something...

The girl let's out a few words in Japanese, supposedly mumbling to herself. Turning her eyes up to me, she mutters "Ne, daijoubu?"

I blink a couple times, then stutter out "H-hai". She nods and continues talking, standing up. _I don't understand anything that she's explaining right now, but it looks like I should follow her._ This entire thing felt familiar to me, but something was blocking my mind, something that was keeping me from remembering who she was.

I follow her through winding alleyways, eventually coming to a small walk space big enough to get through but small enough to miss. We walk up to a house, though it's difficult to call it that.

There was nothing interesting about it's exterior; just blank walls meant to be shelter. However, as we enter through the door, the interior fills me with a warm, sugary feeling, as though I had just returned home after leaving for a long time.

A boy in a black hood sits on a sofa with a wide grin on his face. The girl walks up to him, kicking him harshly in the side before speaking. I can't seem to even guess what they could be talking about. _I don't understand them at all…_ As this thought crosses my mind, I remember the phrase that boy had taught me. I mumble under my breath, to no one in particular, "Wakari masen." As they continue talking, I look down at the floor, no longer interested in trying to figure this all out.

My eyes grow warm and I rub them, slightly startled to hear the two of them talking…

"...mute or something?" The boy laughed.

"I don't know." The girl replied. "She was speaking fine just a second ago."

"I… you can speak English?" I stuttered.

The boy flashes a weird grin. "Wow, you've got a pretty strange one, Kido."

The girl, Kido, frowns. "We're speaking in Japanese. I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"But… Just now, all I heard was Japanese. Then, you suddenly started speaking English. I don't know much Japanese, except a couple phrases, so there's no way…"

Kido's frown grew angry. "Are you trying to be funny? You're speaking perfect Japanese right now…" Her voice trailed off as she looked at me, as though seeing me for the first time. "...oh…"

"Ah!" The boy smiled, nudging her with his elbow. "You see it too, don't you?" She gave him a slight nod.

"What?" I look between the two of them. "What's wrong?"

"Your eyes…" Kido muttered.

I nodded. "Yeah…?"

"They're red!" The boy grinned, laughing as he threw his hands back.

My eyes feel warm. "Red? I don't understand…"

"Yep!" He turned to Kido. "Looks like she has an eye-power too!"

She nods. "What do you think it is, Kano?"

Thankfully I now had a name for both of them, though my own seemed just out of my reach…

"Hm, maybe… hearing eyes?" He lets out a chuckle. "Since she can hear different languages? Nah, maybe not! Hey, you don't look like you're from around here, though. Since you speak English, maybe you're… American?"

I nod, though I've begun to feel a bit dizzy. "What's your name?" Kido asks, but the word just won't come. For whatever reason, I can't seem to reach that part of my memory. "Eh? What's wrong with her, Kano?"

I don't hear the rest of their words, however. The floor rushes up to meet me and, once again, everything goes black.

* * *

My eyes flutter open, meeting a particularly pink set hovering above me. The person let out a squeal, jumping back and tumbling to the floor. A boy with cat eyes laughs at the sight, quickly being scolded by a tough looking girl. I look around; there are so many people here that my head spins.

The girl turns to me, asking something in a language I don't understand. _I can't remember… something just happened, but I can't…_ Their voices suddenly cut off and English floods the room. "-wait for her to understand?" "Who is she?" "Back off, idiot!" "Hey you, don't be mean!" "Damn, what a drag. You guys are too noisy." "What did you just say, bro?!" "N-nothing…"

I shake my head, lifting my hands up. "Wait, wait, what's going on here? Who are you people?"

An energetic girl bounced forward, smiling. "Momo Kisaragi, sixteen years old!"

A boy in a red jacket scoffed at her. "She said who you were, not how old you are. Do you seriously do that with everyone?" He turned toward me, a tiny half smile forming. "I'm Shintaro Kisaragi and this annoying brat is my younger sister." Momo seemed very upset at this, punching him in his side.

A tall boy with bleach white hair mumbled something like "Please don't fight" before turning to me. "I'm Konoha. Um, uh…" He seemed at a loss for words, like he wanted to explain himself further but didn't know what he should say. "I… like food…"

I blinked several times. That seemed like an odd thing to say about yourself, but I didn't have the chance to say so. The phone he was holding let out several short buzzes and he held it forward, showing me the screen. A blue clad girl floated there, giving me a big smile. "Hey, I'm Ene! That hopeless idiot over there is my master, but that doesn't mean I have to do what he says!" She says this with a wicked sounding chuckle. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of being a master if your subordinate didn't listen?

A little boy stepped forward. "M-m-my n-name is… H-Hibiya A-A-Amamiya!" He stuttered violently, seemingly terrified of me. "M-m-my n-n-name is Hi-Hibiya A-Amamiya…" He looked dazed as he continued to introduce himself. Was he not good with new people?

I felt an arm across my shoulder and looked back at the cat-eyed boy. "That girl hiding behind Kido is Marie. Ah, but you've already met her eyes, haven't you?" He let out a laugh, to which a girl with giant, puffy white hair let out a cry of embarrassment. That must have been Marie, so the girl with green hair in front of her must have been Kido.

"Aw, Kano!" I turn to see a boy in a ridiculously bright green jumpsuit; I felt like it made him look a bit like a frog... "Don't be so hard on her!" The boy, Kano, let go of my shoulder, chuckling as he flopped down on the couch. The frog-boy smiled at me, holding out his hand. I shook it as he happily introduced himself. "My name is Seto! It's great to meet you!"

I stepped back, looking over everyone, and bowed slightly. "I-it's nice to meet you all, but… wh-where am I?"

Kano smiled. "Why, you're in the hideout of none other than…" He spread his arms wide. "... the Blindfold Gang!"

I blink a couple of times. Kido sighs in annoyance, waving him away. "Anyway, you know who we are. Now, what's your name?"

I pause, then shake my head. "I… that's strange. I can't remember anything about myself."

Kano lifts an eyebrow. "But you just told us you were from America."

I frown. "I did?" I was completely confused. When did I even speak to them before just now?

The boy sighed, a strange grin on his face. "Well, she's not lying."

Kido shook her head. "You have to have a name…"

Marie stuttered. "M-maybe we could h-help her remember it! Or, m-m-maybe give her one until she d-does!"

"Rabbit!" Kano burst out suddenly.

Momo tilted her head. "Huh?"

"You know, like, as a name! Usagi!" The second time he said the word, it came out in Japanese. _Could it be that names aren't translated for me? Or maybe my subconscious realises that there's no need to translate a name._ Their _names didn't come out in English either..._

I frowned. "But, why Usagi?"

He laughs. "You look really helpless, like a little bunny!" This earned him a swift smack to the head from Kido, but I couldn't really be upset with him; I liked the name.

Before I have a chance to tell him, however, a large explosion resonates through the walls. "What the hell?" Kido shouts.

Everyone stands still, waiting for the aftershock to fade. "Boss, we should definitely check that out!" Momo turns to Kido, her face filled with determination.

Kido frowns, then nods after a moment of thought. "Alright, but only a few of us. Marie!"

She looks up from where she had fallen. "Y-yeah?"

"You stay here with Seto and Hibiya." She looked to Seto to confirm that he would be fine with them. He girnned, giving a thumbs-up. "Everyone else, move it!"

Kano lifts a hand. "Ah, Kido, do you think Usagi should stay too?" He uses the name he had given me earlier, which earned him a glare from Kido.

She sighed though, looking to me. "Yeah, I think you should stay here too."

I shook my head fervently. There was no way I was going to remain behind to be looked after! "I-I want to come with you, if that's alright! I won't get in the way, so don't worry!"

Kido frowned, looking past me. "Oh alright, fine. Konoha, watch out for Usagi, alright?"

I turn around to face the white-haired boy. He looks at me with the same dull expression from before. "Ah, yes, I understand!" He hands the phone that the cyber girl Ene was living in to Shintaro, then looks to me, waiting for me to follow him.

We all navigate the alleyway and come out to a street crowded with shouting people. Konoha holds onto my arm gently, as though making sure he would always be nearby, and I smile, pulling his hand away. "I'll be fine, Konoha. Don't worry!"

His expression doesn't change, but he shakes slightly. "I don't want you to get hurt…"

I pat his arm. "Listen, I'll stay right here next to you! Okay?"

He nods and we turn toward the crowd. It appeared as though everyone was running in the same direction; toward us. "Boss! Let me go!"

I turn to see Kido nod at Momo. She wasn't anywhere near her, though… Her eyes turned red and suddenly, one man stopped running and turned his **attention** to Momo. "Mister! Hey, what are you running from?"

The man shook his head, distraught. "A… a crazy man… I don't know, I don't really understand…" The man's eyes turned toward me, though he seemed to look straight through me. The moment our eyes met, I felt a strange tingle in the back of my mind. For some reason, I knew what we were about to face…

"Um, Kido?" Kido turns toward me, one eyebrow raised. "This is going to sound crazy, but I think… I know what's going on." Her brow furrowed as she listened. "There's some man in a lab coat up ahead. He set off a bomb and he's shooting at people…"

Kido's eyes widen. "How do you know that?"

I shake my head. "I'm not sure… I met that man's eyes, and suddenly, I just understood what he had seen."

"So, you read his mind?" Her eyes shifted to Seto, then back.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't hear anything in particular. It was almost like.. He shared the experience with me? I can look into my own thoughts and understand what happened…" I sighed. "Ah, I don't know how to explain it…"

Kido nodded, smiling. "It's alright. Good work Usagi." She relayed the information on to the others and we headed into the crowd. More people noticed us now, so I suppose whoever had been using that power couldn't anymore.

As we rushed on ahead, pushing past the people, I felt some kind of dread building in the pit of my stomach. Something didn't feel right about this whole situation, and despite the fact that I can't remember a single thing, it felt like I… recognized that man. I had no recollection of being acquainted with a mad man, but that didn't mean anything, really. I could have just forgotten.

The very man I had felt through a stranger's memories stood before us now, unloading his last clip of bullets into the scrambling pedestrians behind him. He turned to us, tossing his gun to the side, and glanced over us with a dull look of disinterest. That is, until his eyes met Konoha's. Beside me, Konoha had begun shaking. "I don't… like him…" he murmured.

I glanced between the two of them. "Wait," I whispered, "Do you know this guy, Konoha?"

He started to shake his head, before giving a very confused look. "I…"

The man chuckled. "Haruka, don't you recognize your dear teacher?" My eyes widened as he gestured to the others. "And look, my star pupils, all gathered in one place." Momo and Shintaro looked horrified, Kido seemed to be biting back tears, and Kano...

If looks could kill, this guy would be a dead man. I'm certain that Kano knew him; maybe even a bit more than the others. "Kenjirou Tateyama..." he growled under his breath.

"It seems everything will go perfectly then. I have all the pieces; now I just have to put them together…" He trailed off as Konoha lunged toward him. Kido bit back some harsh words, telling him to get back to me. Kenjirou didn't even blink as he pinned Konoha down to the ground, smirking. "Incredible strength, but it's no match for this snake…" He grabbed Konoha's face and black snakes slid down his arm, wrapping all around him. Momo let out a shocked cry and Shintaro let out a shout, pulling the earbuds from his ears. His phone fell to the ground, pulling the earbuds out in the process, and Ene's shrill voice came blasting through.

I looked up as Kenjirou stepped back from Konoha, wavering slightly before collapsing on the ground, but the boy laying there was no longer Konoha; he was clad in all black as opposed to the previous white outfit and his hair changed similarly. He sat up, covering his face with one hand as propped himself up with the other, and began chuckling. Ene paused in her rant as Shintaro picked her back up again. A faint sniffle came from the device as she whispered hoarsely. "Haruka?"

The black-clad boy turned toward us, his sickly evil grin giving me chills as he spoke. "I'm afraid not…"

* * *

Author's notes:

In reference to me calling them the "Blindfold Gang":

while I much prefer calling it the Mekakushi Dan, Usagi's power is that of understanding. In the case of "translating", she actually just understands a language and turns any foreign words into her own, native language. Because of this, most words will be spoken in English. Names, as you read previously, will be heard in Japanese because it makes more sense for the wielder of the power to hear "Usagi" than "Rabbit", since in English, a rabbit is only an animal, and not a common name for people. Usagi, however, could be easily understood as being a name rather than just talking about a bunny rabbit. Remember, the main point of her power is to **understand** and be **understood** , not to translate! :)

Bonus!

This doesn't really affect the story any, but it's kind of a fun fact! When Usagi first woke up and multiple people were talking, this is who was saying what:

"-wait for her to understand?" - Kido

"Who is she?" - Konoha

"Back off idiot!" - Hibiya

"Hey you, don't be mean!" - Momo

"Damn, what a drag. You guys are too noisy." - Shintaro

"What did you just say, bro?!" - Momo

"N-nothing..." - Shintaro


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, I am SO sorry. A lot of stuff happened in my life and long story short, I couldn't get on here to check on my stories, so I had NO clue that this chapter was originally such a shit storm of text. Here's the chapter!**

 **Nothing in this fanfiction follows the canon storyline(s). All plot is created by myself and in no way relates to the series as a whole. I do not own Kagerou Project/Mekakucity Actors/Kagerou Daze, nor do I own the characters. This is just for pure fun and fanservice (haha, but this is rated T, so it's not THAT much fanservice).**

* * *

Everyone was shocked, for the most part, while I simply stood there confused. _How had Konoha been transformed into this new person? Who_ **was** _this new person?_

Shintaro took a step forward. "Hang on, what? Konoha, you're being stupid-" Kido cut him off, slapping his chest.

"You idiot!" She hissed under her breath. "Don't you realise that's not Konoha anymore?"

He looked to her with a bit of shock, shaking his head as he muttered "No way…"

"Guys…" We looked to where Kano was watching dark Konoha walk toward us.

"Shit!" Kido pulled Momo away, motioning for the others to follow her. "He got to our strength! None of us stand a chance against that guy."

Kano ushered Shintaro and I toward Kido but Shintaro pushed him away. "I'm staying here…" To punctuate his statement he called to Momo, tossing his phone to her.

Kano laughed. "You can't be serious, dude."

Shintaro narrowed his eyes. "Unlike you, I stand by the people I care about."

Kano continued smiling, waving his statement away, but as he met my eyes, I could feel intense hatred and a bit of sorrow…

He pushed me along, following Kido. I looked back at Shintaro, worry growing inside of me. "Kano, are you sure we should…"

Kano chuckled as I trailed off. "Don't worry, if that idiot wants to get killed, why deny him that wish, right?"

He smiled at me and I felt a bit unnerved…

On a whim I pulled his cheek taught, catching him off guard and surely causing a bit of pain as well. Red faded from his eyes and his features contorted in anger. "W-what? Why did you do that?" He grabbed my hand, rubbing the place that I pinched. He glared at me but softened his expression a bit. "Ha, so you found me out?"

I frowned. "Why do you hate him so much…?"

He shook his head, closing his eyes. "Ah, that's a long story…" His eyes opened with red and somehow I knew that was as much as I would be getting out of him. "Hey, don't be sad! Maybe one evening we could take a walk; I'll tell you all about it then."

He winked, pulling me forward once again, but a gunshot stopped us all in our tracks. I turned around but Kano grabbed me, pulling my face into his chest. "Mmph? K-Kano? What are you doing?" I wiggled in his arms, trying to look around him but failing at his surprising strength.

"Close your eyes…" I did as he said, rather reluctantly, and he picked me up, bolting forward with me in his arms. With my eyes closed, the experience was a bit more terrifying than it might have been otherwise.

I felt the heat fade from my eyes and struggled to understand the others. Kano shouted something to Kido after glancing at me and she nodded. My feet find the ground but soon lose it again as I'm carried away on Kido's back; she seems to have far less trouble with the task than Kano did. Her hood falls back and her long ponytail whips back as she runs.

I grip back of her jacket tighter as I hear the gunshots go off. A quick glance at Kido's face tells me the results were not favorable. I can't bring myself to turn around so I bury my face into her jacket hood instead. Gunshots continue and I can't help but think of the friends we outran. We reach the first corner just as several more shots ring out. Kido cries out, barely making it around the corner before falling to her knees. I shuffle around her to ask if she's alright, but she grabs my arm. "Hashire!" She shakes my arm a bit, pointing down the alley. I look at her with fear, not understanding what she meant.

Her voice grows desperate and I force myself to focus. My eyes feel warm and Kido notices the change. "Usagi, run!"

My eyes widen. "But, Kido. What about yo-"

She shakes her head. "Just shut up and run! I'll be fine!"

Momo rounds the corner. After exchanging a quick look with Kido, she nods, grabbing my arm and pulling me away. I glance back at Kido one last time, then run as fast as I can.

I run. Even after the sounds of gunshots, I run. I don't look back because I know nothing will come of it.

Finally, Momo and I reach the house. I burst through the door, slamming it shut and leaning against it. A startled cry turned my attention to Marie, who was now spilt out onto the floor. Hibiya stood up from the couch, looking us over and instantly realizing something was wrong. "H-hey. What happened?"

I couldn't even answer. I fell to the ground, sobbing. Marie looked on, shocked, while Hibiya mumbled, trying to reason with himself that everything was fine. Momo cried, but calmed down enough to explain what had happened. At the mention of Seto's death, whom I hadn't witnessed, Marie goes stock still. Momo tries to comfort her, but there's not much she can do.

"They're gone." Marie mumbles. "They can't be gone. I won't let them be hurt like this." Tears pour from her eyes. Her hair lifts, and suddenly it's split apart. I'm not sure what's happening. A bright light covers my vision, then there's nothing but darkness. I hear her voice, echoing softly through my mind. "I'll put everything back where it was."

* * *

I open my eyes slowly, squinting at the lamplight above me. I feel a nudge at my side but try to ignore it. I think back to the boy, killed by a thief, and I'm startled awake. As I sit up, gasping, the person beside me lets out a cry, falling backwards. I look to my left, where a girl sat. Her face is mostly covered by a purple hoodie, and as she turns her eyes up to me, she mutters "Ne, daijoubu?".

* * *

 **So, you may have noticed that this was originally put up in January and... it's currently September...**

 **I'm sorry to say that I don't have a single thing written out for Chapter 5. To be honest, I've been really occupied with my more serious writings (outside of fanfiction, I mean. I write novels), as well as college and work. This story doesn't have a lot of my attention or interest and I find it really hard to put in the effort to write more of it. For that, I'm truly sorry.**


End file.
